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From developing a nuclear arms program to progress in short and long range ballistic missile development, North Korea’s been in the news a lot recently. With tensions brewing among Japan, South Korea and the big fish, the United States, it feels like things are only getting worse.

Now comes more political spit in the coffee pot: North Korea has sentenced two American journalists to 12 years hard labor for committing a “grave crime” against the State, according to the state-run media. These Asian-Americans were convicted, essentially, of “showing hostility to the Korean People.”

The two journalists sentenced were Laura Ling and Euna Lee, reporters that work for Al Gore’s media venture based out of San Francisco.

Many North Korean law experts viewed the punishment as severe for the “crime” that was committed. It is the maximum under North Korean law, and cannot be appealed. Fortunately, the two were not charged with espionage crimes, which allows for humanitarian negotiation for release to take place between the United States and North Korea.

However, this looks pretty close to being a political ploy set by the North to break the United States’ hard line approach to the North’s weapons’ development programs, and if any agreement will be made for the American citizens’ release, you can bet the North will try and use it to its advantage.

Communist States these days seem to be aiming to take down the press. Unfortunately, for their close-minded ideology, it hurts their cause, and you can’t stop the signal.